Since the 1960s a small but stable element in radiation therapy has involved MeV ion beams. At Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Harvard University (and subsequently many other places) accelerators previously used for nuclear physics pioneered the use of this technique. Proton therapy as well as ion beam therapy have become very effective therapeutic tools and are becoming more and more widespread worldwide. In the LA area, the group at Loma Linda Hospital has established a solid reputation for their cancer treatment program, which is based on high energy (MeV) proton beams.
One substantial advantage of such ion beams is that the radiation dose is more localized than for x-rays or electrons. The reduction of the scattering of the beam permits irradiation volumes with sharper boundaries. In particular the Bragg peak at the end of the range permits a relatively high dose to the region of interest.
Bent crystals have been efficiently used for channeling of GeV particle beams at accelerators, as described by V. M. Biryakov, Yu. A. Chesnokov & V. I. Kotov, “Crystal Channeling and its Application at High Energy Accelerators,” Springer, Berlin 1997.
There is a need for systems and methods that can provide proton beams having very narrow beam width.